Love of the Games
by Midnight-Primrose Riddle
Summary: Shade Sprite is sent to kill boy Pharaoh Malik Ishtar, but is caught and made Malik's servant. Things go strange from there. *Mature scenes in next few chapters, i hope* (6/30/02-Fic is qued due to temporary lack of enthusiasm)
1. Prelude

A shadow flickered across a wall, and disappeared instantly. A cool breeze swept across the golden sand, not very cool, but still welcoming. The Pharaoh's pyramids stood defiantly against the sapphire sky. Next to it, the Pharaoh's residence, it's alabaster stone structure reflected the noon sun. You see, in Egypt at that time, there were many boy Pharaohs. Each with a different part of Egypt to claim as their own, with pyramids and temples, wealth and their own shadow game to play. No one ever defied the Pharaohs because it is said that each Pharaoh possessed a power un-parallel to any contraption in this world. The shadows games were played as sport and with men of extreme wealth and power. However, in playing the games, it was considered to be rewarded by Anubis, God of Death. The games were about fierce and rare monsters and magics. Each had a sole purpose, to serve their masters and demolish other opposing creatures. However, theses games took enormous amounts of skills, strength and wealth to play. Eventually, the players became the played, where the pressure from the game, or the greed from winning the game would tweak their minds, making them go mad, or even die. It was only a matter of time.  
  
One Pharaoh opposed the shadowed world and it's players. He knew the sole weakness of any player, for he once was snared in the trap of the games, for he also knew how to escape the game's wrath.  
  
Girls.  
  
Their charm and beauty could cure any male's madness. However, the girl would have to feel love for the boy, and the boy in return if the spell was to be broken. If the girl resented the boy, and the boy loved her, the boy would loose his guard and fall into a lapse of depression, leaving the sell to be broken by being killed by the same girl. With this knowledge in mind, and with his wife's prompting, sent an assassin to each of the boy Pharaohs in hopes to either end their deteriorating lives or give them a second chance. So, with the Pharaoh's blessing, a number of handpicked girls set out to bring down the players of the Shadow Games. 


	2. Palace

A cool breeze rustled the broad green leaves; also awakening it's contents. A young girl of around 16 stirred. She had climbed into an inviting tree to rest. She had come a long way from home. She opened her eyes, and sat up from the branch she was on. She closed them again, leaning against the trunk, as another breeze played with the leaves. She sighed, and looked around herself. Through the gaps in the leaves, the alabaster white palace of the boy Pharaoh, Malik Ishtar stood. She sighed, and leaned against the tree again. Another breeze played with her hair. Through the dappled sunlight, her silver hair glittered shyly. She was different from most Egyptians. She had fair milky skin, and deep-set sapphire eyes. She stood up and jumped down from her branch.  
  
The sudden blast of blazing lightly and heat hit her off guard. She staggered, shielding her eyes from the sun. "It's so hot!" she moaned, looking around herself. She blinked rigorously, finally adjusting to the light. "Well, better get going again," as she started walking toward the palace walls. Many people stared at her, she was a foreigner. Her Pharaoh had sent her to kill Malik Ishtar. She balled her fists, but quickly relaxed. "It's not going to be hard. He's probably just a pampered brat!" she laughed out loud.  
  
At the palace walls Isis sighed, "They really think that these low walls will keep me out?" she asked, looking up. "Oh well, got to do my job," as she crouched, and jumped, doing a flip over the palace walls. Landing with a dull thud, she winced, "Ow! Stupid sandals!" she cursed, but quickly rolled onto her side under a bench to hide from a guard. She looked up at the beautiful residence, "Where is that brat's room?" she whispered, scanning the palace. Suddenly she spotted a terrace, with expensive looking fabric billowing out of it, 'Bingo!' she whispered to herself, and quickly scaled the tree and patiently waited for the evening's cover. 


	3. Murder

~*~As the last of the sun disappeared from view~*~  
  
Shade, appropriately named, was now only a mere shadow on tree's bark. She touched her side, making sure her dagger was there. Now, the fun commences.  
  
She easily scaled another smaller wall to get to the inner palace, resting against a wall and peering around it, seeing a bulky guard, she weighed her chances.  
  
She lashed out, and quickly slit the guard's throat, she stopped a few feet behind him, who had fallen to his knees then onto his chest, as still warm blood was gurgling from the gash. She stared at her dagger with disgust, 'I had to do that, right?' she faltered. Then, deciding that she had to go on, she started at a furious pace up the stairs, killing several other guards.  
  
She reached the right room, and put her ear to the heavy wooden door. No sound could be heard from inside. She decided to enter. She slowly but carefully opened the door and peered inside, and the smell if incense reached her nose, making her feel heady. She shook her head violently, "I have to do this!" as she braced herself, and walked into the room.  
  
Many lanterns and candles had been placed in the brat's room, casting eerie shadows in strange places. In the middle of the room, was a beautiful bed, with luscious silk hangings. Shade wasn't bad off, but she had only seen such fine fabric. Next to it was a nightstand, with a few miscellaneous items, such at scattered coins. 'Oh great! The brat counts money to fall asleep…" she thought, rolling her eyes and putting her finger to her bridge. Shaking her head slowly, "Was I ever like this?" she asked herself out loud. "I mean, I've always had things that most girls never had. She touched a strange jet-black pendant that was hanging on her chain around her neck. "I've been raised differently, that's all!" she dismissed her pondering.  
  
The curtains momentarily flared up, but died down quickly. Shade paused, but then thought better. She now approached to what seemed to be a fine writing table. With carved Mahogany drawers. She tentatively reached out a delicate finger to touch it, when a sudden slight sound, jolted her attention.  
  
She whipped around, hesitating to draw her dagger. She walked toward the source of the sound, every fiber of her tense. She paused at a stone pillar, her ears straining. But when no sound was heard, she sighed, and forced out a small sigh of relief, audible in the chamber. She slid down, and sat down on the cool blocked floor. Resting her head on the pillar. Thinking.  
  
If she had dozed off, Shade didn't know, for a sudden soft rustling of fabric jolted her from her state. She looked at the curtains, they were still, "Hmmm…how odd…" she whispered, quickly scrambling up. "Better not be caught in here…" she said, "Doesn't seem to be in use," as she turned to leave. Another rustle, now she was tense. She looked all around herself, NOTHING! Only the dancing shadows cast by the candles and lanterns, making eerie shapes on the walls, ceiling and pillars. She started out again, when, a golden chain shot out of the shadows in front of her, coiling around her neck. Luckily, her hands flew to her neck just in time, so the chain was not only on her neck, but now her hands were trying to remove the golden chain that was ever tightening. She started to gag slightly, all the while struggling against the chain.  
  
"You know it's useless…" came a deadly voice from the shadows.  
  
Shade kept struggling, falling to one knee, panting, trying not to let the chain break her hands or suffocate her.  
  
"I told you!" came the voice, a bit harshly now.  
  
Suddenly, a tall boy stepped out of the shadows, the end of the golden chain firmly in his grip. He chuckled and wound the chain around his fist a few times, and with a sudden force, yanked on the chain, sending Shade to her knees.  
  
She whimpered slightly in pain. Tears springing up in her deep eyes. "Let me go!" she gasped, yanking back at the chain.  
  
The boy, caught off guard stepped forward a few paces. "Bad move…" he said slowly, and with one final snap, flung Shade into the air, about to slam her into the floor.  
  
Shade, quickly used her remaining strength and righted herself in mid-air. "Let me go!" she repeated, she was on her knees, gasping for air. Her face white as a ghost's.  
  
"Tisk! You talk to the Pharaoh like he was some mere child!" the boy said, looking at the gasping Shade on the floor. 'She's not an old fart! Why, she's only a girl!' he thought to himself.  
  
"Pharaoh?!" she gasped. 'This boy isn't the Pharaoh, is he?! Why, he's only a boy! I thought he would at least be in his early twenties!" her mind screamed.  
  
To Be Continued…  
  
Author's Notes:  
  
There, I made her name Shade. I hope this is a bit longer. Sorry to make a cliffhanger, I'll be back! 


	4. Slave?!

She started to stand up, staggering slightly with pain, still struggling against the chain. "You're the pharaoh?!" she managed to gasp with a hint of anger.  
  
"And who else would I be?!" the boy answered. Yanking on the chain, even harder again, sending Shade onto her back.  
  
Shade let out a small whimper of pain, but sucked it in. She looked up at the tapered ceiling, tears now streaming down her pale face.  
  
The boy, grinned, "Get up!" he commanded. With a sudden burst of energy, he started to pull Shade towards him.  
  
Now Shade was being dragged towards the Pharaoh. 'I might as well stop struggling…' as she closed her eyes. Feeling her body slowly moving across the rough floor, remembering the death penalty for trying to kill the Pharaoh.  
  
'I failed…' she thought, sadly.  
  
Malik bent down, looking at Shade's face. He stood up and took the chain, and pulled her up by it.  
  
Shade's lips gave a soft whimper of pain, feeling herself being pulled up by her neck, her fingers made a slight crunching sound. She could feel that her hands were now wet, 'Am I bleeding?'  
  
1 Malik now looked at Shade, who was just a bit shorter than him. "Look at me…" he said slowly.  
  
Shade looked away, eyes closed. Her lips light red, and strands of her hair blocking part of her face.  
  
Malik reached out, bringing her face to look at his. He lifted her chin up with one finger. So that they were only inches away. "Look at me," he said a bit more harshly.  
  
Shade slowly opened her eyes, only to meet Malik's head on.  
  
"That's better," he said, looking intently at her eyes. "It seems you also have violet eyes…" he said.  
  
Shade, looked away again, a slight tinge of colour appearing on her cheeks. 'Damn! What's happening?'  
  
Malik shifted his position to face Shade this time.  
  
Suddenly, he brought his face so that it was only millimeters away from hers. Her eyes fluttered opened with surprising, only to have Malik's lips brush against hers.  
  
Every hair on Shade stood up on end. Using that moment as Shade was off guard, he slipped the chain off.  
  
He broke off, breathing a bit heavily. Shade backed away, touching her lips with her right hand. Then she looked at her hands, flexing them. Thankfully they were not broken, just deep gashes had been made around her fingers and her palms. She shuddered as she looked at her once pale hands, now with hideous gashes.  
  
"What is your name?" Malik asked.  
  
Shade looked at him, the colour returning to her cheeks. "Shade, Shade Sprite," she said quietly.  
  
"I am Malik Ishtar, boy Pharaoh," he replied.  
  
"Now I suppose that you were sent here to kill me?" He drawled. "Do you know the penalty?" he said in a deadly hiss.  
  
Shade nodded slowly, a lone tear slipped down her face. "But please, give this to my family with my regards," she held out her pendant.  
  
"Shade…Has a nice ring to it, doesn't it?" Malik continued. "You know what, I like-" he paused on the word. "You. You will stay her with me, as my servant." He finished. 


End file.
